Is PTS a reasonable choice for my mare?

[RHGR]

Going to try keep this as short as possible as I could go on for hours! I have a cob mare who has some behaviour issues, a number of which I believe stem from ulcers. She was treated for ulcers this year which I believe she'd had for a while but flared up due to her fracturing her pelvis. It was during rehab that the ulcer behaviour ended up at its worst so we don't even know if she would come back into work successfully after the fracture. She was treated for her ulcers which took 3 months, GG, sucralfate, and injectable omeprazole and even after 3 months of these different treatments there was very little difference in her ulcers so the vets said to just leave it and see if her behaviour continued to be better as it did improve while on treatment. However within two weeks of stopping she was back to being very unhappy. The treatment obviously doesn't work for her and we have no insurance money left so is there really any point in trying that again? The pain from her ulcers makes her very grumpy in the stable when being groomed, and she jumps out of her field constantly for seemingly no reason but it appears to be to do with the pain as she didn't do it while getting treatment. She is very difficult to deal with because of this and I'm just waiting for the day we get told to leave the livery yard as she causes problems for other people taking their horses in and out. Money is a factor, but also she just isn't happy, I couldn't sell her as a project as god knows if she could even come back into work if by some miracle they found a way to get rid of her ulcers. And she couldn't be sold as a field companion since she doesn't stay in the field. So what other option would I have if we are asked to leave the yard? Am I being horrible by thinking PTS may be an option?

 

[[153312]]

No you're not being unreasonable.
She's in pain, IMHO PTS an animal that is in pain is not unreasonable at all.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I got to the words fractured pelvis and already knew you weren't being unreasonable. The ulcers could be consistently there due to an underlying level of pain either from that old injury, or another that she compensates for, or it could be one of things that she is unlucky to suffer from - but PTS any horse that is in pain and unhappy isn't unreasonable imo.

 

[ycbm]

Nothing unreasonable with that at all.
.

 

[Baywonder]

No, you are not being horrible at all.

You sound like a very caring, sensible owner, and as you have tried everything with your mare, PTS is a very real option to consider.

It is a tough decision. but I for one think it would be the right one for you and your mare.

 

[bonny]

Need more details really, how old is she and what happened when she fractured her pelvis ?

 

[RHGR]

I know certain people will judge me and it makes it even harder than it already is to even think about. She is my heart horse. I can say that without a doubt. But I can tell she isn't happy and I don't think there's much else we can try to make her happy again

 

[Trouper]

If the vets cannot provide any permanent relief/treatment for her, then I would pts. She must be thoroughly miserable.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Need more details really, how old is she and what happened when she fractured her pelvis ?

Young or old - a horse being 2yo doesn't lessen the pain that they're in, a horse being 2yo also doesn't magic £10k to spend on more vet input into my bank account, a horse being 2yo vs 22yo also doesn't invent more investigation techniques. So whilst I think I know what angle you're going to come at this from, I don't think it's relevant to the OP's question

 

[RHGR]

Need more details really, how old is she and what happened when she fractured her pelvis ?

She's almost 13, and fractured her pelvis sometime around the start of last year, however it wasn't diagnosed until August last year as it was very odd. There was no sudden lameness, she was just a bit short on one rein, gave her a couple months of strengthening work in hand and tried ridden again, she was better for a couple weeks then all of a sudden hopping lame but only when ridden. Took a month and three different vet practices to figure out that it was a pelvis fracture, which none of them suspected as she's a solid cob and was 100% sound 99% of the time in hand

 

[RHGR]

If the vets cannot provide any permanent relief/treatment for her, then I would pts. She must be thoroughly miserable.

She doesn't seem to have the same sparkle in her eyes these days, I don't know if it's just me imagining things but she just seems duller and her eyes seem sadder

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Sadly as if sounds as if pts would be a very reasonable outcome for your mare, as you know that she is in pain and the vet can't offer any solution. I am so sorry.

 

[milliepops]

i think that by the time a conscientious owner starts asking themselves if it would be better to pts, it is never a bad decision.

OP it sounds like you've done a lot to try and help your mare but sometimes they can't be fully fixed. sorry you are in this position.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Poor mare. Poor you. I echo the above.

 

[[153312]]

I know certain people will judge me and it makes it even harder than it already is to even think about. She is my heart horse. I can say that without a doubt. But I can tell she isn't happy and I don't think there's much else we can try to make her happy again

Anyone who judges you isn't worth listening to. You're being incredibly selfless and putting your horse's needs above your own.

 

[Carrottom]

In the circumstances you describe I believe pts is the correct and courageous decision.

 

[Lady Tinseltime]

I know certain people will judge me and it makes it even harder than it already is to even think about. She is my heart horse. I can say that without a doubt. But I can tell she isn't happy and I don't think there's much else we can try to make her happy again

Don't care about other people. The horse isn't happy. You're not happy Other people shouldn't matter

 

[Velcrobum]

Don't care about other people. The horse isn't happy. You're not happy Other people shouldn't matter

This^^^^^^^^^^

 

[SEL]

I was on a livery yard with a horse that did 6 months box rest with a fractured pelvis. She wasn't happy afterwards and the owner had to make the decision to PTS. It was very sad but they can't talk and tell us that they hurt so if you think your mare is in pain then she probably is.

I'm very sorry you're in this position xx

 

[EllenJay]

I think, that as a caring owner, as soon as you start to think "is this the time", then generally the answer is sadly "yes". It's what any responsible ownervwoukd do, irrespective of horses age. You do know if the horse is nearing the end.
Love and thoughts are with you xx

 

[RHGR]

I think, that as a caring owner, as soon as you start to think "is this the time", then generally the answer is sadly "yes". It's what any responsible ownervwoukd do, irrespective of horses age. You do know if the horse is nearing the end.
Love and thoughts are with you xx

I've seen a few people on other threads day that once you start to consider PTS it means it's quite likely a sensible choice, but I don't know if it's fair as it's not like she's hobbling around the field or colicing every other day, but then I wouldn't let a horse get to that point. It's very difficult to know what to do

 

[[153312]]

I've seen a few people on other threads day that once you start to consider PTS it means it's quite likely a sensible choice, but I don't know if it's fair as it's not like she's hobbling around the field or colicing every other day, but then I wouldn't let a horse get to that point. It's very difficult to know what to do

IMHO a horse hobbling around the field or colicing every other day is well past the point at which it should have been euthanased.

Better a day too soon and all that

 

[Winters100]

Very sad, and I am sorry for you being in this position, but in your shoes I would seriously consider the PTS, and I do not think you could be criticized for this course of action.

 

[RHGR]

Thank you very much for all your opinions. I don't know if I was hoping people would be telling me to keep going and that putting her down was cruel, as I don't want to face the possibility of putting her to sleep, but I know deep down she isn't happy all the time and that also makes me feel terrible. Thank you for the help in seeing things straighter

 

[ycbm]

Need more details really, how old is she and what happened when she fractured her pelvis ?

Bonny you are beyond belief sometimes. She's an unhappy horse with a fractured pelvis, what on earth does it matter how old she is or how she fractured it?
.

 

[[153312]]

Ycbm ignore her. She's being deliberately contrarian for the sake of an argument.

 

[bonny]

Bonny you are beyond belief sometimes. She's an unhappy horse with a fractured pelvis, what on earth does it matter how old she is or how she fractured it?
.

Because an unhappy 3 year old is a different animal to an unhappy 15 year old. If people want an opinion I see no harm in asking for details. I doubt the owner is stressing over being asked so why are you ?

 

[bonny]

Ycbm ignore her. She's being deliberately contrarian for the sake of an argument.

How on earth is asking the age of the horse an argument ?

 

[ycbm]

Because an unhappy 3 year old is a different animal to an unhappy 15 year old

Not in my book. A badly damaged unhappy horse is a badly damaged unhappy horse. I don't keep badly damaged unhappy horse alive whatever age they are, I don't see it as relevant.

Can you not see from what was written in the original post that the poster is looking for permission to go ahead with a hard decision she has already made in her head?

And that she is not looking for ways to keep the horse alive?

And that the only thing you can achieve by questioning whether this horse is unhappy and/or broken enough to put to sleep is to make life more difficult for the owner and give more pain to the horse?
.

 

[bonny]

Not in my book. A badly damaged unhappy horse is a badly damaged unhappy horse. I don't keep badly damaged unhappy horse alive whatever age they are, I don't see it as relevant.

That’s fine as is me thinking it’s relevant